Another game, another thrilling shootout. Unfortunately for the home team Portland Trail Blazers, they fell just short down the stretch, losing game 3 in a heartbreaker.

This thing was a track meet from the get-go. It looked like the 2005 Suns were playing themselves the way the teams ran up and down the court. Both teams were red-hot in the first half - Portland scored 47 points in the 2nd quarter! The lead went back and forth, prompting one Blazer fan to tweet, "someone needs to turn the shooting sliders down".

Damian Lillard was sensational all game, as he had an extremely efficient shooting performance, while also dishing 12 assists. He would help the Blazers open up a lead that got as high as 13 points in the third quarter. Of course, a 13 points against this Warriors team is nothing, as NBA fans are well aware. Entering the fourth quarter with a 7 point lead, Blazers fans felt anything but safe.

The offensive onslaught continued. Golden State continued to knock on the door, hitting contested threes and making the Blazers pay in transition. Like Lillard, Stephen Curry also had a monster game, with 35 points and 8 assists. He, along with Durant, Thompson and Pachulia, who had 17 boards, 7 of them offensive, helped Golden State forge a 22-6 run to retake the lead.

Down, but not out, Terry Stotts changed things up. With four minutes left, down 8 points, he put in a lineup of Lillard, McCollum, Crabbe, Vonleh and Ezeli and had the Blazers play zone. Against all conventional wisdom, this worked, with Curry and Durant bricking open threes. That eight point deficit became a three point Portland lead with a minute to go. Still, no Blazer fan felt safe.

Noah Vonleh, who had himself a very nice game on both ends of the floor, missed an open three pointer that would have all but sealed the deal. Klay Thompson missed a three on the other end, but a Pachulia rebound led to a pair of free throws that would put the Warriors within one. CJ McCollum proceded to get stuffed by the rim and the Warriors found Kevin Durant wide open under the basket. Golden State by 1, with 24 seconds left. Oh boy…

The Blazers, with no timeouts, went to their bread-and-butter, the pick and roll. There was nothing there, so Lillard kicked it out to McCollum who missed a contested three. Lillard fouled himself out and Curry made a pair of free throws to make it a three point game. With five seconds left, McCollum sprinted up court and found Allen Crabbe who bricked a three and that was that. Golden State takes game #3 and with it home court advantage and momentum.

[size=110](Unlike real life) New Orleans can't hang with the Cavs without Anthony Davis, getting blown out on their homecourt in game three. LeBron posted yet another triple double, as he is now two games away from his seventh straight playoff appearance.

Blazers Collapse In Second Half, Now Trail 3-1Golden State 114, Portland 92

The Portland Trail Blazers won their first six home games in this post-season. They have now lost their last two, courtesy of Steph Curry and company. Portland's offense sputtered out in the third quarter, and never recovered as they will face elimination at the Oracle.

The first half was close, par for the course in this series. The Splash Brothers continued to light it up while Lillard continued to lead the way for the Blazers. Golden State led by just three at halftime, but in the third quarter, things went south for the Blazers. Portland's top-ranked offense, which had been able to keep up with Golden State all series, hit a wall. Golden State discombobulated Portland, shutting down the three ball and forcing turnovers at will (Lillard and McCollum coughed the ball up 13 times between the two of them).

The Warriors outscored the Blazers 31-18 in the third quarter, and the Blazer fans had bloody stumps where their nails used to be. Damian Lillard started the fourth quarter hot, helping his team pull within 10, but an unfortunate sequence stretched the deficit out again, and Portland could not recover. Allen Crabbe's playoff struggles continued with a 2-12 shooting performance (0-7 from deep), and had a dejected look on his face as he watched Kevin Durant hit back to back threes in his face to expand the Warrior lead to 20.

Unfortunately for Shabazz Napier and Dorell Wright, Terry Stotts never pulled his starters, as the Blazer fans watched their team fight a losing battle in what was likely their final home game of the season.

Curry had another god-tier game, with 35 points and 11 assists, while Durant and Thompson chipped in 25 and 23 points respectively. Andre Iguodala notably made his first appearance of the post-season, back from his broken ankle suffered in March. He scored 7 points and grabbed 5 rebounds in 21 minutes off the bench. Lillard had 29 points and 9 assists on efficient shooting, but his turnovers played a big part in his team's demise.

Down three games to one, the Portland Trail Blazers will need to win three straight games against the Warriors - two of them in Golden State - to make it to the NBA Finals. A third straight Warriors/Cavs finals appears imminent, but in sports, anything can happen… I guess.

It'll take some serious meme magic for there not to be a Warriors/Cavs finals year again, as both teams lead their respective series 3-1. Helpless without Anthony Davis, they have once again been destroyed at home by the Cavs, and their most successful playoff run ever will soon be over.

The Golden State Warriors have defeated the Portland Trail Blazers 118 to 105 en route to their third consecutive NBA Finals date with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

In a series in which the first three games could have gone either way, the Blazers were blown out at home in game 4, putting themselves in a 3-1 hole. Like game 4, it was a third quarter run by the Warriors that would make the difference, with Golden State opening up a double digit lead after a back-and-forth first half.

Trailing seventeen points heading into the fourth quarter, Damian Lillard shook off a poor shooting start to get the deficit back down to 10 points. However, Durant and Curry could not be stopped with their BS, and their lead stretched back out to 16. Everything was going perfectly for Golden State, until Kevin Durant went down with an ankle injury. The crowd was dead silent as they helped him off the floor.

Cue the asterisk if the Cavs win the Finals...

This was a momentum shift, as the Blazers went on one last run - a pair of McCollum free throws cutting the deficit to just 6 points with 3 minutes to go. It didn't take long for Steph Curry to answer though, hitting a three on the other end. McCollum got stuffed by Draymond at the rim, Iguodala dunked on Allen Crabbe, and that was just about that. The Golden State Warriors hung on to win 118-105, beating the Blazers in 5 games for the second consecutive season, and making the NBA Finals for the third.

The ref offers his services as Durant's replacement

That's the good news for Golden State. The bad news is that second leading scorer Kevin Durant will indeed miss most of, if not all of the NBA Finals with a severe ankle sprain. Terrible news for the Warriors, but they can at least take solace in the fact that they still have three all-stars left, and perhaps the league's best backup small forward in Andre Iguodala. If Cleveland wins, will Warriors fans use this injury as an excuse to invalidate the Cavaliers' championship? I can't wait to find out. (Never mind the fact that Kevin Love is questionable to play the finals with a left hand fracture)

For Portland, it was a very successful season, despite the disappointing ending. However, this team will need to make upgrades in the off-season if they hope for a different result against Golden State next season. Improved defense and more consistent scoring outside of Lillard and CJ are key points of emphasis for this team moving forward.

The Davis-less Pelicans managed to keep it close at the Q, but LeBron and company weren't about to let a team led by Jrue Holiday beat them, as they advance to their third straight NBA Finals - the seventh straight for James.

Salary situation isn't great. Trading Mo Harkless helped, but with Lillard, McCollum, Evan Turner, Allen Crabbe and Meyers Leonard accounting for roughly $100 million, I can't make it rain in free agency. However, the other GM's in the NBA are pretty dumb, so I might be able to make a trade or two to improve things.

For the third consecutive season, the Warriors and Cavaliers meet in the NBA Finals. In this match-up of super teams, both are coming in down one star player, with both Kevin Durant and Kevin Love to miss the finals due to injury.

GAME 1Cleveland 116, Golden State 99LeBron and Kyrie combine for 68 points as the Cavaliers blow out the Warriors at the Oracle to steal game 1. Curry led the Durant-less Warriors with 25, while Draymond flirted with a triple double.LeBron James: 35 points, 14 rebounds, 7 assists, 5 steals, 14-26 FGCLE leads series 1-0.

GAME 2Cleveland 107, Golden State 95Down 2-0 going to Cleveland, Golden State is in a difficult position. However, they did come back from down 2-0 to win a pair of games in San Antonio, so this thing is far from other. LeBron's numbers though!LeBron James: 38 points, 11 assists, 9 reboundsCLE leads series 2-0.

GAME 3Cleveland 107, Golden State 101LeBron continues to go god-mode, and it'll now take a miracle for the Warriors to come back and win this series. Then again, no team had choked away a 3-1 lead in the finals until they did last year, so ANYTHING… IS… POSSIBLE!!!!!LeBron James: 36 points, 15 rebounds, 10 assists, 15-27 FGCLE leads series 3-0.

GAME 4Golden State 121, Cleveland 86The Golden State Warriors led 77 to 33 at the half. Let that sink in for a moment. The splash brothers combined for 78 points in a blowout win on the road. One down, three to go…..Stephen Curry: 39 points, 9 rebounds, 8 assists, 3 steals, 12-23 FG, 7-14 3pt, 8-8 FTCLE leads series 3-1.

GAME 5Cleveland 102, Golden State 100Despite big games from their stars Curry, Green and Thompson, the Warriors fell just short of extending the series, losing the NBA Finals on their home floor in game 5. Clearly, the loss of Durant hurt the Warriors more than the loss of Love hurt Cleveland as this thing was a walk for the Cavs. Hopefully it will be closer when these teams meet in the finals again next season…LeBron James: 18 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assistsCLE wins series 4-1.

Yeah, Golden State sacrificed a lot of depth to get KD (didn't help losing Livingston in the expansion draft), and with him injured, they just didn't have it. Shame he couldn't have gone down earlier in our series. Now with him, Curry and Iguodala all hitting free agency, the Warriors may be a dynasty that never was.

Coming up is the offseason, which I'll be doing in chunks, probably starting with draft lotto, retirements, etc. Stay tuned

Dirk, Pierce, Ginobili Headline 2017 Retirement ClassAnd what a classy bunch they are

Dirk Nowitzki, the greatest European basketball ever, has retired, headlining a retirement class that includes Celtics great Paul Pierce, Argentian legend Manu Ginobili, and sixth man savants Jason Terry and Jamal Crawford. As some of the last players drafted in the nineties retire, the older we all feel. Of course, Andre Miller and Vince Carter are still hanging around...

- Lottery to decide top 5 picksWill it be a disincentive to tank? Probably not. Might even cause give teams further cause to avoid the 8 seed at all costs. Makes lottery night a bit more exciting. Still not good television though.

- Division Winners will once again get the top 3 playoff seeds"Why is Portland the 4 seed?????" This is a bit of a surprise, undoing ten years of the league reducing the roles of divisions. While this means we will once again see teams with worse records with higher seeds, it also may restore some meaning to division titles... Still odd to see, since the rule was just changed a couple years ago with no fanfare...

NBA Draft Lottery

The Dallas Mavericks lost Dirk Nowitzki to retirement, but will not have to wait long to find a new franchise player, as they have won the #1 overall pick in the draft. The Celtics will be selecting second, the Heat third.

Per the new rule, the top 5 picks in the draft are determined by the draft lottery. After that, draft order is based on record and appropriate tiebreakers.

Warriors stars Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant are arguably the second and third best players in the league, and both will be hitting the free agency market. Curry, a two-time MVP and four-time all-star, has been widely criticized by village idiot Skip Bayless, who has called him the Warriors fourth best player. Durant meanwhile, has been arguably the most criticized player in the league, after leaving the Thunder to sign with the Warriors, a team coming off a 73-9 season. Changing teams again would likely cause a critical mass of hatred, should he sign with any team other than Oklahoma City. Should be interesting...

Also hitting the market are Clippers stars Chris Paul and Blake Griffin, Raptors star Kyle Lowry, and the corpse of Derrick Rose, among others.

*Red denotes expiring contracts or player options.*Green denotes team options.

The Trail Blazers find themselves in a tricky position. While they are a relatively young team seemingly on the rise coming off a conference finals appearance, they were soundly defeated by the Golden State Warriors, and do not possess cap space nor selections in the lottery. Will they keep the team together, relying on internal improvement and perhaps other teams falling off? Or will they make some trades? Stay tuned!

The 2017 NBA Draft was pretty wild. Lots of potential stars here, and also some really, really weird trades. Hard to keep up with honestly... At any rate...

2017 NBA Draft

It's the NBA Draft! After years of dreaming of playing in the NBA, 60 guys will be picked... blah blah blah... Portland has the 28th, 37th and 57th picks in this year's draft, but will they trade up? Maybe... Anyway, Dallas is on the clock, and they select...

1 Dallas - G Dennis Smith (NC State)Dennis Smith! A guy they hope can be a franchise point guard and team up with Harrison Barnes and whoever to win titles for years to come.

2 Boston - F Jayson Tatum (Duke)Okay! They already have Jaylen Brown, but I don't follow college so okay!

3 Miami - F Josh Jackson (Kansas)It will be interesting to see how this guy fits in with Justise Winslow. Should be a beast though.

TRADE!Celtics trade Avery Bradley, Jae Crowder to Phoenix for pick #4, Solomon HillAvery Bradley and Jae Crowder are a pair of quality starters. Instead of trading them for someone like Boogie, they go for the #4 pick and a bad contract in Solomon Hill. They must think there's a star left on the board. Phoenix meanwhile decides they want to win now by adding two very good players. Does the addition of Bradley mean Devin Booker will come off the bench though?

TRADE!Mavericks trade Dennis Smith, 2019 first to Charlotte for #5 pick, Nicolas BatumInteresting... The Hornets trade up to get a franchise point guard, perhaps to move on from Kemba after a disappointing season. Or they want to play Smith at the 2? IDK. Dallas meanwhile looks to jump start their rebuild by trading down to acquire a quality vet in Batum...

5 Dallas (via CHA) - F Lauri Markkanen (Arizona)Received to a lot of boos by the NYC crowd of course, Markkanen may be a bit of a reach at #5, but Dallas is hoping for an instant Dirk replacement, and he is tall and white...

6 Milwaukee - G Markelle Fultz (Washington)Some thought Fultz would go #1, but he fell all the way to 6! The Bucks are looking really nice, with Giannis, healthy Jabari, Middleton, and now Fultz. Not to mention the veteran leadership of Thon Maker. Fear the deer?

TRADE!Nuggets trade #7 pick, 2018 2nd (via GS) to Atlanta for Dwight Howard, 2018 1st (via MIN)Nuggets will pair future hall-of-famer Nikola Jokic with Dwight Howard. That team will be unstoppable on the glass, but spacing is a major concern. The Hawks meanwhile look to go full rebuild, dumping their veteran Center for a lottery pick. Will they also let Millsap walk?

8 Orlando - G Frank Ntilikina (France)So many good point guards in this draft! Elfrid Payton hasn't panned out, and Orlando hopes the guy with the hardest name to pronounce in the draft is also the hardest to guard.

9 Washington - G Kostja Mushidi (Germany)After two straight years in the lottery, are the Wizards looking to move on from the expensive and injury prone Bradley Beal?

TRADE!!!Mavericks trade Lauri Markkanen, Nikola Pekovic to Lakers for #10 pick, 2019 Kings second rounderDallas has now turned the #1 overall pick, and Pekovic's albatross contract into Nicolas Batum, the #10 pick and a future second. Smart? Hard to say

Blazers acquire #15 pick from the Clippers in exchange for Meyers Leonard, the #57 pick and Cleveland's top-10 protected 2018 first rounderMeyers Leonard is Andrea Bargnani-lite, and at $11M per year, the Blazers don't want him on the team. With big names like Harry Giles, DeAaron Fox and Lonzo Ball still on the clock, they opt to trade Leonard, along with a future first and the 57th pick in this draft to the Clippers. LA adds a veteran player who can bolster their second unit, hoping it will help them keep Paul and Griffin, and perhaps entice another big-name free agent to join the team. If not, well, they get Cleveland's 2018 pick. Portland meanwhile clears up cap space and will add:

15 Portland - F/C Harry Giles (Duke)Giles is a talented big man with serious knee issues. Sounds like a guy Portland would pick! There are definitely some red flags with this guy, but they may have just acquired a future all-star for Meyers Leonard and a late future first...

16 Chicago - F Edrice Ayedubo (Kentucky)

TRADE!!!Celtics trade #17 pick, Isaiah Whitehead to Dallas for Harrison Barnes, JJ BareaThe Celtics quickly replace Jae Crowder with Harrison Barnes. Probably a downgrade, but Barnes does have a gold medal and a ring! Not sure what Dallas is doing, but I'm not convinced I hate it. Maybe they really wanted Lonzo Ball and knew he would fall? Yep.

17 Dallas (via BOS) - G Lonzo Ball (UCLA)

TRADE!!!Lakers trade Jordan Clarkson, pick #43 to New Orleans for pick #18The Pelicans improve their guard rotation, now loaded with Clarkson, Holiday and Hield. The Lakers clean up theirs, but it seems like they could have gotten more for a good young player in Clarkson...

28 Portland - G Grayson Allen (Duke)Terry Stotts begged and pleaded to Lyman Witherspoon to draft this guy, He's a nutcase, and lowkey not that good, but we'll see what he can do. Pat Connaughton's gotta be sweating bullets right now.

Phil89, I definitely see why people prefer myLeague. I'd probably use the trade veto on a couple of those wacky draft day deals. Oh well, keeps things interesting I guess.

I'm stoked to have gotten Giles. He's one of the highest rated players in the draft class, and should improve the defense a lot.

Valor, Yeah, doing top 5 for the lottery is an innocuous move that I can't imagine too many people would disapprove of (or care about). Bringing pack top 3 seeds for division winners would probably piss some fans off, with the possibility of the teams with the two best records facing each other in the second round. However, I don't see why divisions even exist in today's NBA.

Had to take Grayson Allen. Stotts begged me to, and with Darko out of the NBA, I need a token headcase on the team!

Outside of scheduling...there really isn't a point anymore unfortunately. Love division rivalries back in the day. NFL does it so well still (prob cause there's only 16 games), not so much for the NBA.

After leaving OKC to pursue the "hardest path", teaming up with all-stars Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green, KD has left the Warriors after just one season, to join the Los Angeles Clippers. The Warriors were favorites to win their second NBA title in three years, before Durant got hurt in the conference finals against the Blazers, and had to watch from the sideline as the Cavaliers won the title in five games.

In the face of such adversity, Durant realized the path he chose was simply too tough, and in light of the news that Chris Paul and Blake Griffin had re-upped with the team, has joined the Los Angeles Clippers, on a four-year deal worth roughly $133 million. With Durant, Paul, Griffin and DeAndre Jordan, the Clippers now have their own big four that can terrorize the league. However, while losing Redick to free agency and Crawford to retirement cleared up the space to sign Durant, it also means that Austin Rivers and Meyers Leonard are their fifth and sixth best players... Maybe they can start calling up members of the 2005 All-NBA teams to fill out the bench...

Curry, CP3, Lowry Among Key Re-Signings

Although their team has been gutted with the departures of Kevin Durant, Andre Iguodala and Zaza Pachulia, Golden State Warriors fans can breathe a sign of relief at two-time MVP Steph Curry re-signing with the team. Also notable are the Clippers retaining their all-star duo of Blake and CP3, the Raptors keeping point god Kyle Lowry, first-time all-star Gordon Hayward staying in Utah, and Derrick Rose robbing the Knicks organization of nearly $70 million.

It has been a busy free agency period, seeing all-stars Kevin Durant (LAC) and Paul Millsap (DAL) change area codes. Dallas also added Andre Iguodala, in their attempt to rebuild around veteran players. Chicago looks to improve their defense with the addition of Noel, the Thunder did not match the Lakers' big offer for Oladipo, and the Kansas City Knights add a big-time scorer in Rudy Gay. All the major (and not-so-major) signings are below.

A decade after being traded to the Knicks, Zach Randolph returns to the team he started his career with, on a one-year deal worth roughly $11 million. Randolph, 36, has spent his last eight seasons with the Memphis Grizzlies, making the all-star team twice in that span and rebuilding his reputation around the league. He will bolster a Trail Blazers bench that has struggled with rebounding and consistent scoring.

Jonathan Simmons to Portland

After a promising rookie year, former D-League standout Jonathan Simmons's sophomore campaign was plagued with injuries. The 28-year old has opted to sign with the Portland Trail Blazers to a one-year, minimum contract. If he can stay healthy, this is an absolute steal for the Trail Blazers, as his three point shooting and perimeter defense make him a solid role player.

Blazers re-sign McGee and Connaughton, add Ian Clark

Portland continues to round out its roster, re-signing veteran center JaVale McGee and two-year guard Pat Connaughton to 1 year, minimum deals. They also add point guard Ian Clark for the minimum. With their additions in the draft, Portland's 15-man roster appears to be set. Here is their projected depth chart:

In a blockbuster trade, the Portland Trail Blazers have acquired elite defensive center Rudy Gobert from the Jazz for a pair of solid role players, and two first round draft picks. Rudy Gobert, the 7'1", 25 year old French center will be coming to Rip City, in exchange for rebounding savant and advanced stats darling Ed Davis, overpaid (but young) sharpshooter Allen Crabbe, their 2018 first round draft selection, and their 2020 first round draft selection.

After months of speculation about Gobert's frontcourt mate Derrick Favors being moved, it turned out to be Gobert on the move. Following a disappointing 40-42 season, the Jazz were fortunate to retain the services of first-time all-star Gordon Hayward, but were likely to make a move after narrowly missing the post-season for the third straight year. Portland was the league's best offensive team last season, but were below average in both defense and rebounding. Adding Gobert addresses these issues, and forms a "big three" with Gobert, Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum.

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Grading The Deal: Jazz deal Gobert to Portland

The Portland Trail Blazers were defeated in the conference finals last season due to their inability to contain the Golden State Warriors' big four. That big four is no more (rhyme!), but The Cupcake (finally a better nickname than KD... the Durantula never stuck) has taken his talents to form a new one, and the Blazers needed to make a move to keep up. And boy have they...

Allen Crabbe and Ed Davis are solid players, but paying a combined $35 million a year to Allen Crabbe and Evan Turner is a tough pill to swallow when you're already paying the luxury tax. Portland managed to kill two birds with one stone, shedding a bloated contract, while adding perhaps the best defensive center in the game. Missing out on two first rounders will certainly hurt, but should Gobert fit in as well as most expect him to, those picks won't be a huge loss. Even if he doesn't pan out, that 2020 pick is lottery protected.

Adding Jonathan Simmons, Harry Giles and Zach Randolph to the team means that their bench production won't suffer too much. It does appear that Giles is expected to start at the 4 however, and his shooting will need to improve if the Blazers hope to repeat as the league's top offensive team. Even if they fall short of that, their improvement on the defensive end should be very significant, and this move likely catapults them into the contenders category.

Grade for Portland: A+

After an injury-plagued 2015-16 season, Utah finally had a healthy roster, as well as a solid veteran point guard in George Hill. Despite that, they once again went 40-42 despite a top-10 defense and Gordon Hayward making his first all-star appearance. Something had to give, and with Quin Snyder retaining his position, it was expected that the Jazz would look to upgrade the point guard position and/or move Derrick Favors. Well, the Jazz actually downgraded at the PG position (unless Rondo's stints in Dallas, Sacramento and Chicago were all just "bad fits"), and instead of moving Favors, they moved Rudy Gobert.

Though most would consider Gobert the better player, this deal is far from indefensible. After all, they didn't trade him for Hield and a first... The Jazz needed to make a change, and this one gives them two first rounders, a solid sixth man in Allen Crabbe, and the ability to finally play Favors at his most effective position, the 5. It is true that Crabbe is overpaid, and that the picks will probably be in the late twenties. However, the middle is the worst place to be in this league, and while they gave up a special player, they do have an all-star in his prime in Hayward locked up for the next few years, as well as an increased amount of assets. Would they have preferred to give up Favors? Probably. But they wouldn't have gotten as good a return as they have here.

Grade for Utah: B

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We got Gobert! Nobody can stop Portland from winning the title now! I haven't seen a team this stacked since the 2009-10 Blazers who... oh no.

One more off-season article coming, and then it's off to the 2017-18 season at last. On a side note, I hate how you can no longer post images inside quotes. It probably is a good thing in regular threads, but a killer in these association story threads. Maybe I just need to actually learn graphic design skills. In conclusion, yeah.

Yeah, it felt like a cheesy way to get to contender status, but given the diminishing value of good starting centers, the package Utah got wasn't bad at all. Honestly, the Meyers Leonard trade I made was probably worse.

One last off-season article to go (power rankings / each team's starting 5), then it's on to the season.

You look at these power rankings, and start to get the sense that the Cavs, Clippers and Blazers are the only real title contenders. Gotta love parity! At the risk of losing my job, I won't say any more. Here's the power rankings!

1. Cleveland (last season: 60-22, NBA Champs) | Starters: K Irving, I Shumpert, L James, K Love, T ThompsonThey're the two-time defending champs, and they have essentially kept last year's team together. The odds-on title favorites until further notice.2. Los Angeles Clippers (last season: 40-42, missed playoffs) | Starters: C Paul, A Rivers, K Durant, B Griffin, D JordanThe Clippers have no bench, missed the playoffs last year, and have never made it to the conference finals in their franchise's long history. However, the addition of Kevin Durant gives them a big four (!) comparable to last year's Warriors.3. Portland (last season: 53-29, lost in WCF) | Starters: D Lillard, C McCollum, A Aminu, H Giles, R GobertPortland may not have added Kevin Durant, but they had a tremendous off-season nonetheless, improving their defense considerably. How their #1 rated offense will respond to a larger starting lineup is a question mark.4. San Antonio (last season: 46-36, lost in round 2) | Starters: T Parker, T Allen, K Leonard, L Aldridge, P GasolTony Allen seems like just the kind of player the Spurs would add. The age and lack of shooting in that back court is a major concern for San Antonio, but they still have a superstar in Kawhi, a great bench, and the GOAT coach in Popovich. Look out.5. Golden State (last season: 65-17, lost in NBA Finals) | Starters: S Curry, K Thompson, D McDermott, D Green, C FelicioThe Warriors still have Curry, Thompson and Draymond. However, outside of their three stars, this team is looking very shallow. Steve Kerr will have his hands full replacing KD with Doug McDermott.

6. Chicago (last season: 54-28, lost in round 1) | Starters: B Jennings, D Wade, J Butler, N Mirotic, N NoelChicago was one of the biggest surprises of last season, winning 54 games to get the 2 seed. However, they were stunned in the first round by New Orleans. It's unclear how replacing Rondo with Jennings will go, but adding Nerlens is a huge coup for the formerly defensively challenged Bulls.7. Toronto (last season: 52-30, lost in round 1) | Starters: K Lowry, D DeRozan, D Carroll, P Patterson, J ValanciunasToronto brings back the same team that lost in the first round last year. They're still a solid bet to win 50 games, but it's hard to imagine them seriously contending without making some moves.8. Houston (last season: 46-36, lost in round 1) | Starters: P Beverley, J Harden, T Ariza, R Anderson, C CapelaThe Rockets are back at it again, hoping James Harden plays at an MVP level and Capela improves into an elite defensive Center.9. Memphis (last season: 51-31, lost in round 1) | Starters: M Conley, W Baldwin, C Parsons, M Beasley, M GasolEvery year, some predict the demise of the aging Grizzlies, and this one is no exception. Losing Zach Randolph and Tony Allen is a big hit to the identity this team crafted early in the decade, but they still have Conley, Marc and some nice role players.10. Minnesota (last season: 41-41, lost in round 1) | Starters: K Dunn, Z LaVine, A Wiggins, G Dieng, K TownsKarl-Anthony Towns is a beast, but we already knew that. It'll be the improvement of Andrew Wiggins and Kris Dunn that decides whether this Wolves team can become the future contender many expect them to.

11. New Orleans (last season: 40-42, lost in ECF) | Starters: J Holiday, J Clarkson, Q Pondexter, A Davis, T ChandlerPerhaps this team would be ranked higher, coming off a surprise conference finals appearance, while adding Jordan Clarkson and Tyson Chandler. However, this team is very shallow, which is a huge problem considering the fragility of their two best players, Davis and Holiday.12. Detroit (last season: 48-34, lost in round 2) | Starters: R Jackson, K Caldwell-Pope, J Green, T Harris, A DrummondThe Pistons had a very nice season last year, but one must wonder whether they reached their ceiling as a team last year.13. Philadelphia (last season: 41-41, lost in round 2) | Starters: D Fox, W Matthews, B Simmons, D Saric, J OkaforTrust the process! The Sixers are ahead of schedule after not only making the playoffs, but somehow sneaking into the second round. This team looks incredibly promising - the question is, who will start at the 5? Embiid or Okafor?14. Milwaukee (last season: 33-49, missed playoffs) | Starters: M Fultz, K Middleton, G Antetokounmpo, J Parker, G MonroePeople are sleeping on the Bucks, but they got the steal of the draft in Markelle Fultz, a guy many expected to go first overall. Boasting three potential all-stars and some nice role players, the Bucks might make some noise sooner than you think.15. Los Angeles Lakers (last season: 37-45, missed playoffs) | Starters: D Russell, V Oladipo, B Ingram, J Randle, T MozgovBrandon Ingram had a terrific rookie season (in this universe) and won Summer League MVP. After being in the playoff race up until the last couple weeks, and adding Victor Oladipo, the Lake Show might make their triumphant return to the post-season.16. Oklahoma City (last season: 58-24, lost in round 2) | Starters: R Westbrook, T Wroten, A Roberson, E Kanter, S AdamsLooking back, it's a mystery how this team managed to win 58 games last season. Truly a testament to Westbrook's greatness. However, things will be even harder this year with starters Victor Oladipo and Ersan Ilyasova leaving town.

17. Indiana (last season: 38-44, missed playoffs) | Starters: R Sessions, M Ellis, P George, C Bosh, M TurnerThat front court is sick! Possibly the best in the East if Bosh can stay healthy. However, that back court is hot garbage, as is their bench. Borderline playoff team once again. Let the Paul George 2018 speculation begin.18. Denver (last season: 34-48, missed playoffs) | Starters: E Mudiay, G Harris, D Gallinari, N Jokic, D HowardAdding Dwight Howard is a bizarre move for a young team midway through a rebuild. Their rebounding will be elite, but their spacing will be dreadful.19. Phoenix (last season: 31-51, missed playoffs) | Starters: E Bledsoe, A Bradley, D Booker, J Crowder, D BenderPhoenix added veteran two-way players Avery Bradley and Jae Crowder to aggressively push the smallball agenda. Maybe it'll work, maybe they'll be trash. Either way, I'm intrigued.20. Utah (last season: 40-42, missed playoffs) | Starters: R Rondo, R Hood, G Hayward, M Teletovic, D FavorsAfter a trying off-season, the Jazz did some serious retooling, trading Gobert away and adding Rondo. I don't know what they're doing, but keeping first-time all-star Hayward is a major coup for a team trying to return to the post-season... eventually.21. Washington (last season: 35-47, missed playoffs) | Starters: T Evans, B Beal, O Porter, M Morris, M GortatJohn Wall is expected to miss at least half the season recovering from last season's ACL tear. Tyreke Evans may be a borderline competent replacement, but the Wiz may want to consider moving veterans such as Marcin Gortat, and punt this season.22. Kansas City (last season: 41-41, lost in round 1) | Starters: S Livingston, N Powell, R Gay, A Johnson, I MahinmiThe expansion Knights drafted a veteran team, and through hard-nosed defense and sheer cussedness, made the post-season in their inaugural season. The addition of Rudy Gay should help their offense, but a team with so little talent is expected to come back down to Earth this season.23. Dallas (last season: 24-58, missed playoffs) | Starters: L Ball, N Batum, A Iguodala, P Millsap, NeneThrough a bizarre off-season strategy of wheeling and dealing, the Mavs came into the off-season with the first overall pick, and left with Lonzo Ball and a veteran team hoping to sneak into the playoffs. Ball is a major steal, and perhaps Cuban is hoping he can be like fellow Dallas sports star Dak Prescott and lead his team to glory.24. Orlando (last season: 35-47, missed playoffs) | Starters: F Ntilikina, E Fournier, A Gordon, B Biyombo, N VucevicOrlando still has an NBA team?

25. Boston (last season: 39-43, lost in round 1) | Starters: I Thomas, J Brown, J Tatum, K Olynyk, A HorfordAn extremely disappointing season saw the Celtics opt to bolster their war chest rather than cash it in. A smart move, as this team is loaded with young talent, while still led by veteran stars Isaiah Thomas and Al Horford. They'll probably be bad this year though.26. New York (last season: 37-45, missed playoffs) | Starters: D Rose, J Smith, C Anthony, K Porzingis, J NoahThe league's other super-team gave Rose a near-max contract, and brought back two-time NBA champion and former Sixth Man of the Year Earl "J.R." Smith. Unfortunately, Kristaps is the only starter on the right side of thirty.27. Sacramento (last season: 40-42, missed playoffs) | Starters: L Stephenson, A Afflalo, J Ingles, S Labissiere, D CousinsWell, they still have Cousins. And Joe Ingles is a nice pick-up. However, Lance Stephenson is their freaking Point Guard! Sacramento is, was, and will always be a dumpster fire. 2002 feels like a century ago.28. Miami (last season: 24-58, missed playoffs) | Starters: G Dragic, J Richardson, J Winslow, T Jones, H WhitesideThis starting five doesn't look too bad on paper, and they have #3 overall pick Josh Jackson coming off the bench. However, they were godawful last year, and don't appear to be in a hurry to start winning games any time soon.29. Seattle (last season: 40-42, missed playoffs) | Starters: T Satoransky, J Redick, S Muhammad, J Leuer, M PlumleeThis roster is trash. How did they win 40 games last year?30. Charlotte (last season: 22-60, missed playoffs) | Starters: K Walker, D Smith, M Kidd-Gilchrist, J Sullinger, T ZellerThey're playing Dennis Smith at the two, but to balance that out, they have Sullinger at the four. Not good.31. Brooklyn (last season: 24-58, missed playoffs) | Starters: P Mills, J Lamb, H Barnes, K Humphries, B LopezWhen your team is trash, and won't have any first rounders until 2037, building around Harrison Barnes is just what you do.32. Atlanta (last season: 45-37, lost in round 1) | Starters: J Teague, F Jackson, K Bazemore, S Novak, M MuscalaThis might be the worst roster in NBA history.

In the first half, it appeared that the Trail Blazers' offseason additions had already paid off, as they held the Kings to just 40 points, opening up a double digit lead. Unfortunately for them, Sacramento came out of the break on fire, and that combined with Damian Lillard and Rudy Gobert fouling out, led to the Kings upsetting them in OT.

After dominating the first half, Portland imploded in the third quarter, turning the ball over repeatedly while the Kings scored at will. The McCollum-Gobert pick-and-roll kept them in it with Lillard on the bench due to foul trouble. Unfortunately, Lillard was generally terrible all game, and bricked a pair of ill-advised threes in overtime before fouling out. The Blazers' poor execution on both ends continued to plague them in OT as the Kings walked away with a surprise victory at the Rose Garden to open the season.

The loss can't be pinned on C.J. McCollum however. The fifth year guard scored 41 points, including a midrange jumper to force overtime. However, Portland committed a brutal 21 turnovers in the game, and allowed huge games from DeMarcus Cousins, Skal Labissiere and new Kings starting point guard Lance Stephenson. Despite fouling out, Rudy Gobert had a sensational debut for the Blazers on both ends, while Harry Giles posted a double-double in his NBA debut. Unfortunately, Lillard was just awful. I mean, he was dominated by Lance Stephenson for crying out loud!

Obviously, this is just one game, and no reason for Blazers fans to panic. There's no way Lillard will continue to play this bad, and the play of McCollum and Gobert were seriously encouraging. However, Zach Randolph did seem to be a poor fit with his inability to shoot or defend, He had 4 points and 4 rebounds off the bench, and had a team-worst -17 net rating on the game.

Portland will try to bounce back in their next game, a nationally televised game against… ugh… the Golden State Warriors.

The Trail Blazers took two L's in their season opener, not only losing to one of the NBA's worst teams at home, but also in debuting their new jerseys. The new jerseys, which had undergone several alterations after leaked designs were panned, were torched on social media. The main criticisms were the goofy number font, and the grey text overlapping the stripes. It's safe to say that the jersey sales charts won't be topped by any Trail Blazers...

How bad was it? Well, even the president had something to say about the new threads:

Indeed, it has been reported that the Blazers are already looking into new jersey designs for next season. On the bright side, fans were more receptive to the arena being once again known as the Rose Garden, which was previously its name from 1995 to 2013.

Lillard, Blazers Bounce Back In Win Over WarriorsPortland 116, Golden State 106

A nationally televised home game against the Warriors, the team that knocked them out in each of the last two post-seasons, was just what Portland needed to get the poor taste out of their mouths from the Kings game. Thanks to a sensational 43 point performance from Lillard, the Trail Blazers led wire-to-wire in a dominant performance against their rivals.

Replacing Kevin Durant, Andre Iguodala and Zaza Pachulia with Doug McDermott, 40 year old Vince Carter and Cristiano Felicio has made the Warriors look a lot more beatable, believe it or not. While Curry and Thompson combined for 64 points, the rest of the Warriors team could do little to keep up with the Blazers' high powered offense. Lillard was on fire in the first half, while Evan Turner and Zach Randolph made key contributions off the bench. McCollum continued his all-star bid with 22 points. Portland led by 16 at intermission, and always seemed to have an answer for the Warriors' runs.

When a Lillard triple gave the Blazers a 17 point lead with 4 minutes to go, Terry Stotts decided to give his bench some run. However, Steve Kerr kept his best players in, and the Portland reserves didn't make themselves any fans, as they saw that lead quickly deplete to eight points. Stotts subbed a couple starters back in, and Lillard drilled the dagger three to put them away for good.

With Lillard playing well and the turnover problem less prevalent, Portland looked pretty dominant. However, matches against the Clippers and Spurs will help paint the picture of the Western Conference this season.

Following a home blowout loss to the Grizzlies, the Blazers have caught fire, winning five straight, with three of those wins coming against division rivals. C.J. McCollum and Al-Farouq Aminu have been struggling with their shot, but they have been getting it done due to the team's much improved defense, as well as Damian Lillard's continued excellence.

Westbrook Out 4-6 Months With Broken LegFire up the tank, boysBlazers Ride Five Game Winning Streak Heading Into Cavs Matchup3-0 on the roadNew-Look Warriors Off To 3-4 StartCurry going off thoSpurs Undefeated Through Six GamesI mean, they are the Spurs after all…Rookies Fultz, Dennis Smith, Josh Jackson Lead Their Teams In ScoringWhat a draft class!

On a nationally televised game, the Portland Trail Blazers showed the TNT viewers that they are a legit threat this season, upsetting the champs in Cleveland. What's most notable about the win isn't the win itself, but how they did it. Last season's team won 53 games and made the conference finals thanks to a high-powered offense with sweet long-range shooting. However, with McCollum in a slump, and the team shooting just 7-25 from beyond the arc tonight, it was their dominance on the boards, a major weakness last season, that gave them the win.

Things were close in the first half. While Irving struggled with his shot, LeBron and Kevin Love went to work, leading the Cavs to an eight point lead at the half. In the third period, a run led by the Blazers' second unit + McCollum turned things around. Zach Randolph, who has started to find his role on the team, was a major catalyst, crashing the boards and getting to the line. Sixth man Evan turner also did a little bit of everything, ultimately finishing the game a team-high +18.

The fourth quarter was back-and-forth. Despite truly horrifying shooting stats, Kyrie Irving was a force to be reckoned with in the fourth, hitting and missing some crazy circus shots. Damian Lillard matched him by getting to the line at will, and throwing down some savage dunks. However, it was rookie Harry Giles who made the difference down the stretch, with a couple clutch blocks, as well as a life-ending poster on Tristan Thompson. Blazers end up taking it 117-109, after a high-scoring final period.

With the win, the Blazers have won six straight to improve to 7-2 overall. They remain undefeated on the road, and are second in the West behind the Spurs. Cleveland meanwhile falls to 5-3.

Portland's win streak hits nine games with a trio of victories. Dwight and the Nuggets were no problem, but the Charlotte Hornets were no pushover. The win streak and undefeated road record was kept intact with a comeback win in Miami, in which Lillard scored 17 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter.

In a game that was close from start to finish, the home team Portland prevailed for their tenth straight victory. Damian Lillard was a beast in the win, posting 35 points and 11 assists, while making 7 of his 10 three point attempts. Evan Turner, Harry Giles and Rudy Gobert also had solid performances. Kawhi had 33 and 11 for the Spurs, who fall to second place in the Western Conference standings behind, you guessed it, the Portland Trail Blazers.

Portland saw its win streak snapped at 12 games with a loss in Detroit. To make matters worse, Zach Randolph pulled his calf muscle in that game and will be missing 6-8 weeks. Still, the team finishes November with a 14-3 record, good for #1 in the league.

Portland is the best team in the NBA! After a 14-3 March, the Trail Blazers hold the league's best record, and they're doing it with dominant play on both ends. Damian Lillard is the early favorite for the MVP award, while Harry Giles is enjoying a tremendous start to his career (please stay healthy). Also, Rudy Gobert is providing the rebounding and rim protection that has eluded this team since letting Robin Lopez walk. The Blazers' dominant run includes a 12 game winning streak in which they knocked off some excellent teams, including San Antonio and Cleveland.

Things aren't all rosy in the Rose Garden. People still hate the new jerseys. Zach Randolph suffered a pulled calf muscle just as he started to hit his stride, and will miss a few weeks. Also, C.J. McCollum has struggled mightily with his shot, making less than 40% from the field and 30% from three. Al-Farouq Aminu's shooting has been even worse!

Still, a 67 win pace is nothing to scoff at. Whether they can keep this up remains to be seen, but this Blazers team is looking like a legitimate contender this season.

Headlines

Rookie of the Year? Try Rookie of the Life

Harry Giles wins West Rookie of the MonthGiles is averaging 13 PPG and 9.8 RPG (leads rookies) for the #1 Blazers

The Portland Trail Blazers are the best team in the NBA. Courtesy of a season-high 48 free throw attempts, the Blazers were able to beat the Rockets despite shooting just 35% from the field.

A nationally televised rematch of their first-round series last season, Portland had already taken the first game of the season series a couple weeks prior, and the 10-8 Rockets came in seeking an upset win. The first half was close throughout - C.J. McCollum's shooting woes have continued, while Ryan Anderson looked like Dirk out there. However, James Harden committed his 3rd and 4th fouls early in the second quarter, and his availability was limited until the fourth.

Portland led by 8 at the half, and while they couldn't quite shake the Rockets, they always seemed to have an answer when Houston pulled within a couple points. Down the stretch, it was Damian Lillard who put it away for the Blazers, drawing Ryan Anderson's sixth foul, hitting a pair of clutch threes, and later sinking the game-clinching free throws to deafening "M-V-P!" chants.

The win improves the Blazers to 18-3, tying their best start in franchise history. Unfortunately, this win was bittersweet, as rookie shooting guard Grayson Allen suffered a broken kneecap in the second quarter, and is expected to be sidelined 2-4 months. Allen has averaged 4 points per game in seven appearances.

New jerseys could come for Blazers very soonIn a move that I believe is unprecedented, Portland might be changing its default uniforms just seven weeks into the season.

Results:

W @ DAL 100-97 - RECORD: 21-3L @ SAC 105-101 - RECORD: 21-4

The Kings continue to have the Blazers' number, being responsible for two of their four losses this season, and ending their eight-game winning streak. Things got a bit testy late in the fourth. Is there a rivalry brewing?

ON ESPN: Nuggets (18-4) @ Trail Blazers (21-4)

Denver, winners of thirteen straight, are the hottest team in the league. In a match-up between the top two teams in the NBA, the Nuggets will take on their division rival, and the last team to hand them a defeat, the Portland Trail Blazers.

Debuting their brand new jerseys following Trump's executive order banning the other ones, the Trail Blazers ended the Nuggets' thirteen game winning streak in a decisive win.

On national TV, this game between the league's top two teams was as hyped as any December match between two mid-market teams. Early on, it looked like the Nuggets would continue their roll, taking advantage of some turnovers by Damian Lillard and dominating on the boards. However, in the second quarter, everything changed. Lillard and McCollum caught fire from beyond the arc, turning an early 12 point deficit into a 7 point halftime lead.

While Mudiay, Dwight and Faried kept Denver in the game, Nikola Jokic was very ineffective all night. On the other end, the Blazers' backcourt continued to bomb away from three, a very promising sign as McCollum has struggled with his shot at times this year. While the Nuggets never quite went away, Portland's incredible 18/28 performance from beyond the arc was too much to overcome, as the Trail Blazers won it, 125-111.

Lillard and McCollum combined for 78 points, including 15-21 shooting from deep. Denver had six players scoring in double digits, but on this night their defense wasn't nearly strong enough to net them the win. Portland remains the league's top team at 22-4. Denver falls to 18-5, still good for the second best record, but would give them the 4 seed, per the off-season rule change.

The new jerseys were met with far more positive reaction than their predecessors. On social media, people praised how they were "pretty much like their old ones", and "not too far out of the box". They will wear their new road jerseys in Thursday's game in Atlanta.

After defeating the Denver Nuggets, the Trail Blazers have won five more games. Winners of six in a row, they sit at 27-4, on pace for 72 wins, which would be tied for the second best record in NBA history. With this streak, Portlamd has pulled away from the pack, and has become the betting odds favorite to win the 2018 championship.

Valor, Yeah, I'll probably tweak them again next season, but they look good for now. It's too bad you can only edit them once a year in myGM, but that's what I get for using the more restrictive mode. I'm fairly happy with these - my main issue with them is that it's hard to read the players' names on the road jerseys (which look just like the home ones but black), but that seems to be the case with most custom jerseys. Oh well.

Phil89, I always seem to build championship contenders by fleecing the competition. I honestly feel more guilty about getting Harry Giles for Meyers Leonard.

December recap with standings, player stats and (I think) a 2018 mock draft coming up. I have some recaps back-logged, so I'll probably be on that double posting grind for a while as I try to catch up to where I am in the game.

Lamrock wrote:Valor, Yeah, I'll probably tweak them again next season, but they look good for now. It's too bad you can only edit them once a year in myGM, but that's what I get for using the more restrictive mode. I'm fairly happy with these - my main issue with them is that it's hard to read the players' names on the road jerseys (which look just like the home ones but black), but that seems to be the case with most custom jerseys. Oh well.

Dunno if MyGM is the same as MyLeague but the name on the back part is always "locked" into a certain ratio so you have to unlock that first to stretch the names out to read them properly (if that's the problem you are having).